"It's [hard] for all taxi drivers, especially those who drive bigger cars like me. I have an accessible van; it's a big six-cylinder car. At least 20 to 25 per cent of my income just goes for the gas," said Reza Aminian, another taxi driver.

Some gas stations drop their prices 10 cents or more below the average, which sat at about $1.38 on Monday evening. The strategy is to increase traffic and hopefully make money back by selling items such as oil and chocolate bars.

Fuel price analyst Dan McTeague said he isn't optimistic that average Ottawa fuel prices will drop any time soon.

"For consumers, motorists of all forms of energy there is no end in sight," McTeague said Monday.

"The only break we are getting is from the odd retailer in Ottawa on the weekend that happens to shave away their six- or seven-cent-a-litre margin, or offer gasoline below cost."

"It's day to day," McTeague said. "... It doesn't help that geopolitical tensions are now ratcheting up. ... None of this bodes very well for stability in the market."